History YMMV / DarkShadows

** The portrayal of Roma during the 1897 storyline has not aged well. Although they are portrayed sympathetically, the series uses the now-outmoded term "Gypsy", depicts them stereotypically (fortunetelling, curses, and the like), and has non-Romani actors portray them, all of which wouldn't go over well nowadays. Although, in all fairness, the name Gypsy would have been appropriate for the 1897 setting.

** The portrayal of Roma during the 1897 storyline has not aged well. Although they are portrayed sympathetically, the series uses the now-outmoded term "Gypsy", depicts them stereotypically (fortunetelling, curses, and the like), and has non-Romani actors portray them, all of which wouldn't go over well nowadays.

* UncannyValley: While being played by MsFanservice Creator/EvaGreen, Angelique still seems a little... off in the 70s scenes, her smile too wide and her makeup seems less put on, more painted on [[spoiler:which makes sense seeing as she seems to be made of porcelain]].

* ShockingSwerve: TheReveal that Carolyn is [[spoiler:a werewolf]] may come off as this to those who didn't notice the foreshadowing beforehand.
** That's because it's a parody of the soap opera twists of the original. Whether it succeeds at being a parody or it's too out there even for this movie is up to the audiences.

* DesignatedHero: Sure, Angelique is an AxCrazy WickedWitch {{Yandere}}, but are we seriously going to overlook the fact that Barnabas is the one who toyed with her emotions, [[EvilerThanThou murdered way more people than Angelique did]], and [[KarmaHoudini received no punishment afterwards]]? Not to mention, him constantly cheating on "Victoria".
** He didn't toy with her. In the prologue, he outright states to her that his attraction was purely physical and continues to claim as such throughout the movie. He does admit at the end that he did have some feelings for her, but was put off by her {{Yandere}} mindset.
** Also doesn't being buried alive for 196 years count as a punishment?

** During the 1841 Parallel Time storyline, Bramwell invites Catherine to his home, where he locks her in a room and won't let her leave. During this time, the two have sex. At the time of airing, this was depicted as a romantic gesture, Catherine clearly doesn't have a problem with it, and the two end up as a OneTruePairing who end up living HappilyEverAfter (a rare example for this series). However, modern viewers would regard Bramwell's actions as rape.

* HilariousInHindsight:
** The numerous mentions of nearby Bangor, now well known as the hometown of horror author Creator/StephenKing.
** The State of Maine has been represented for many years in the US Senate by popular Senator Susan ''Collins'', whose surname makes her sound like a relative of the Collins. To make it funnier, Collins is from also northern Maine, albeit from Caribou in the interior and not on the coast.

%%* CultClassic

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: Angelique may be an evil bitch but Barnabas is a murderer several times over, although he's comedic and trying to help his family.

** During the 1841 Parallel Time storyline, Bramwell invites Catherine to his home, where he locks her in a room and won't let her leave. During this time, the two have sex. At the time of airing, this was depicted as a romantic gesture, Catherine clearly doesn't have a problem with it, and the two end up as a OneTruePairing (a rare example for this series). However, modern viewers would regard Bramwell's actions as rape.

** That's because it's a parody of the soap opera twists of the original.

** This sentiment only works if you've not seen the pre-Barnabas episodes (as Willie was introduced in episode 199). Willie spent his first elevens as a KickTheDog style henchman who threatened and terrorized every character in sight. Which made his treatment at Barnabas's very much karmatic given his earlier actions.

* ScrewedByTheNetwork: The 1991 remake. It actually started off well. But the UsefulNotes/GulfWar at the time interrupted its timeslot which messed with its ratings. NBC eventually gave it the ax much to viewers' dismay. Even a mass letter campaign and a picket protest (yes, ''really'') didn't convince the network to put it back on the air.

* ScrewedByTheNetwork: The 1991 remake. It actually started off well. But the UsefulNotes/GulfWar at the time interrupted its timeslot which messed with its rating. NBC eventually gave it the ax much to viewers' dismay. Even a mass letter campaign and a picket protest (yes, ''really'') didn't convince the network to put it back on the air.

* {{Narm}}: The forgotten or flubbed lines and general HamAndCheese are major contributors. However..

* HilariousInHindsight: The numerous mentions of nearby Bangor, now well known as the hometown of horror author Creator/StephenKing.

* ScrewedByTheNetwork / TooGoodToLast: The 1991 remake. It actually started off well. But the UsefulNotes/GulfWar at the time interrupted its timeslot which messed with its rating. NBC eventually gave it the ax much to viewers' dismay. Even a mass letter campaign and a picket protest (yes, ''really'') didn't convince the network to put it back on the air.

** This sentiment only works if you've not seen the pre-Barnabas episodes (as Willie was introduced in episode 199). Willie spent his first elevens as a KickTheDog style henchman who threatened and terrorized every character in sight. Which made his treatment at Barnabas's very much karmatic given his earlier actions

* DracoInLeatherPants: Angelique is a cold-blooded murderer who killed innocent people and ruined Barabas' life because he didn't love her back, yet there are many examples on this page alone that try to paint her in a much more sympathetic light because she's good looking.

* DraconInLeatherPants: Angelique is a cold-blooded murderer who killed innocent people and ruined Barabas' life because he didn't love her back, yet there are many examples on this page alone that try to paint her in a much more sympathetic light because she's good looking.

* DesignatedHero: Sure, Angelique is an AxCrazy WickedWitch {{Yandere}}, but are we seriously going to overlook the fact that Barnabas is the one who toyed with her emotions, [[EvilerThanThou murdered way more people than Angelique did]], and [[KarmaHoudini received no punishment afterwards]]? Not to mention, [[YourCheatingHeart him constantly cheating on "Victoria"]].

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: Danny Elfman's score, plus many great 70s anthems.
** The early shots of Victoria's travels scored by [[Music/TheMoodyBlues "Nights in White Satin]]"
* CryForTheDevil: One may feel sympathy towards Angelique - sure, her actions have been downright evil and she's a ManipulativeBastard, but she's also been repeatedly rejected by Barnabas and according to him, she "cannot love."
* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: Angelique may be an evil bitch but Barnabas, although he's comedic and trying to help his family, is a murderer several times over.
* DesignatedHero: Sure, Angelique is an AxCrazy WickedWitch {{Yandere}}, but are we seriously going to overlook the fact that Barnabas's the one who toyed with her emotions, [[EvilerThanThou murdered way more people than Angelique did]] and [[KarmaHoudini received no punishment afterwards]]? Not to mention, [[YourCheatingHeart him constantly cheating on "Victoria"]].
** He didn't toy with her, In the prologue he outright states to her, that his attraction was purely physical, and continues to claim as such throughout the movie, he does admit at the end, he did has some feelings for her, but was put off by her {{Yandere}} mindset.
* DirectorDisplacement: Some of the advertising claims it's "From the mind of Tim Burton", despite the film actually being based on a cult-classic soap-opera.
* EvilIsCool[=/=]EvilIsSexy: Angelique.

* JerkassWoobie: As evil and manipulative as she might have been, it can still be hard not to feel a bitof sympathy for Angelique, ghiven that all she wanted was Barnabas's love.

** Angelique crossed this line when she killed Barnabas' parents and drove Josette to suicide. Plus turning Barabas into a vampire in the first place and [[BuriedAlive locking him in a box for nearly two hundred years.]]

* {{Narm}} : [[spoiler: When Angelique is [[LiterallyShatteredLives breaking into pieces]] after she's defeated in the climax, she reaches into her chest and pulls out ''' ''the fakest looking CGI heart you can possibly imagine.'' ''' And holds it out to Barnabas, who simply stares at it, no doubt as confused as the audience.]]
* OneSceneWonder: Creator/ChristopherLee as Clarney.

* ShockingSwerve: The reveal that Carolyn is [[spoiler: a werewolf]] may come off as this to those who didn't notice the foreshadowing beforehand.

* StrangledByTheRedString: The film's first two acts focus on Barnabas adjusting to the modern era and rebuilding the family empire while dealing with Angelique, but come the third act he and Victoria are declaring their love and embracing despite sharing all of three or four scenes beforehand.
** The scenes of them together are intercut with scenes of Collinswood and the Fishery being rebuilt, giving an impression that a lot more time has passed than shown, restoration work takes, at the very least months to complete, seeing as Barnabas comes back in october, and there is no Christmas scene, it is possible that the Happening takes place in mid/late-November if the money Barnabas was providing was enough to get priority and round the clock work done.

* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot: Or rather several. One of the film's major problems is that it has plenty of interesting plot threads - Baranabas' feud with Angelique, Barnabas trying to restore the family fortune and business, Maggie Evans' struggles with her past, David's issues with his dead mother and his deadbeat dad, Barnabas's relationship with Maggie, Barnabas trying to get himself cured, Vicki's attempts to become a vampire, Carolyn's issues, Josette's attempts to communicate with the living - but there are just too many of them, and there's only time to develop one or two properly in the relatively short amount of running time, rather than over a season's worth of episodes.

* UncannyValley: While being played by MsFanservice Eva Green, Angelique still seems a little... off in the 70s scenes, her smile too wide and her make up seems less put on, more painted on [[spoiler: which makes sense seeing as she seems to be made of porcelain]].
* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: Like many of Tim Burton's films, the film has an emphasis on visuals.
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids: [[NeverTrustATrailer The trailer depicts the film as being an edgy, comedic remake]] of the original television show, targeted towards families. The actual film features a sex scene, multiple sexual references, and rather bloody attack scenes.

** David. His mother was killed at sea by Angelique before we meet him (he was only five years old at the time), and his father barely cares about him any more. Carolyn also belittles him somewhat due to how David thinks he can still communicate with his dead mother. [[spoiler:His father then leaves to satisfy his own greed without even saying goodbye to him]], and is then almost hit seconds later by a falling disco ball. Poor kid...
** Barnabas, possibly with a bit of IronWoobie in there. His parents were killed by Angelique after he rejected her advances, and after that, well, things went downhill fast after that. His beloved Josette was bewitched into falling to her death off Widow's Hill, then turned into a vampire and [[BuriedAlive locked in a coffin]] for 200 ([[DistinctionWithoutADifference er, no, 196]]) years. Worst of all, when he finally is freed from the coffin, he has to see a world that has drastically changed since he last saw it, and how his descendants have suffered all because of Angelique's KickTheDog moments towards them over the years.

** You could easily count Angelique herself as a Woobie Destroyer of Worlds. Yes she has done a lot of things that are completely deplorable. Murdering Josette and Barnabas's parents. Turning Barnabas into a vampire and locking him in a box. Targeting Barnabas's innocent family members for almost two centuries after that. However the fact she was a servant and a witch in a time when witches could be and often were hanged or burned at the stake gives her some sympathy points. It's quite obvious that despite Angelique's sass... she has a pretty serious inferiority complex. And her feelings for Barnabas do seem to be genuine given that she had a crush on him from when they were children. You can't help but feel sorry for her over Barnabas using and then discarding her for another woman. Especially when he does it again in 1972. Sleeping with her then immediately telling her it can never happen again.

* ScrewedByTheNetwork / TooGoodToLast: The 1991 remake. It actually started off well. But the UsefulNotes/GulfWar at the time interrupted its timeslot which messed with it's rating. NBC eventually gave it the ax much to viewers dismay. Even a mass letter campaign and a picket protest (yes, ''really'') didn't convince the network to put it back on the air.

* CompleteMonster: The vampire Lockwood was a SerialKiller in life before being attacked by Barnabas Collins. Surviving as a vampire and looking to sate his bruised ego, Lockwood begins turning children into vampires and has them murder their own families to "strengthen" them to serve as soldiers against Barnabas. After fleeing, Lockwood proceeds to slaughter more people and later allies with Barnabas's evil half, temporarily becoming human and celebrating by committing more murders just to see blood in the sunlight again. In the BadFuture, Lockwood helps butcher as much of the town of Collinport as he can while also trying to [[TheCorrupter corrupt]] his former victim, the young vampire Emma. While Barnabas is a truly remorseful man looking to embrace his human side, Lockwood [[CardCarryingVillain relishes in being a monster]], whether as a human or as a vampire.

* WinBackTheCrowd: Episodes 915 -- known by fans as the Emergency Leviathan Rescue Episode -- and 936 were efforts by the writers to defuse the fandom backlash against Barnabas' villainous actions during the Leviathan arc.